Within the automotive, storage, and maritime industries, there has been a long felt need for an effective mounting system which allows straps, spacer bars, brace bars, and other cargo holding devices to be adjustably secured to an underlying support structure.
Traditional practice is to permanently secure a ring, cleat, hook, or similar device, to the underlying support structure. Such devices, however, limit the type of cargo holding apparatus that can be used to standard tie-down ropes, cords, cables, and belts. Access to the ring or cleat must first be obtained and then a tie-down rope is looped therethrough. Where a hook is used, the tie-down rope is passed around the hook and then held then in place to prevent inadvertent release.
Such traditional devices and tie-down ropes are difficult and time consuming to secure, are highly susceptible to operational error, and typically expose the rope to severe damage from rubbing or being cut from the loading and unloading of cargo. In addition, rings, cleats, and hooks require a large amount of access room for proper use, and are relatively ineffective if the permitted working area is restricted.
Unless the rings, cleats, and hooks are properly located, the cargo may shift, be damaged, or cause danger to cargo handlers. To provide adjustment in tying down and securing cargo, a large number of rings, cleats, or hooks are needed. By necessity such devices are secured to the support structure. Use of multiple rings, cleats, or hooks weaken the support structure. They also increase the likelihood that cargo and cargo handlers will become damaged or injured due to being rubbed or impacted against such devices. Multiple rings, cleats, and hooks are generally not aesthetically appealing if they interrupt the smooth lines of the underlying support structure.
In an attempt to fill the aforesaid need, the following patents and devices have been created: Iden, Sr. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,976; issued Aug. 27, 1974); Elwell et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,013; issued Aug. 5, 1986); Johnson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,382; issued Mar. 17, 1987); Matthews (U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,769; issued July 25, 1989); Millar, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,770; issued July 25, 1989); and Cardwell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,719; issued Oct. 10, 1989).
Heretofore, such apparatus and methods for securing cargo to an underlying support structure have often been dangerous, unsightly, and could only be used with a limited number of standard accessories. Each cargo holding accessory required a separate means or device to attach it to the support structure. Thus, tooling, manufacture, use, and removal of a wide variety of devices for a single support structure was time consuming, expensive, inefficient, and often impossible. It is not uncommon that such devices cause damage to the contained cargo.
When used with a vehicle, such as a pickup truck, such cargo holding apparatus often must be specially designed, customized, outfitted, and installed. Such equipment is either permanently installed or at least is difficult to remove and has not been very flexible for varied loads. In addition, many of such devices require a considerable amount of space for operation and are of limited utility where access is limited.
The inventor believes that the listed patents and known prior art taken alone or in combination neither anticipate nor render obvious the present invention. These citations do not constitute an admission that such disclosures are relevant or material to the present claims. Rather, these citations relate only to the general field of the disclosure and are cited as constituting the closest art of which the inventor is aware.